Over the years, this post has changed from being all about products to being about products, how-to's and tips. Why? Because outdoor lighting is usually ephemeral and gains in drama when it has a simple, hand-made quality to it. Here, then, for 2010 is my top list of outdoor lighting inspiration. Enjoy!
>> Lanterns from Palmyra Design - New for this year are these great lanterns that Chris in Toronto tipped me off to last year. Imported from Morocco via Canada, these outdoor lanterns "cut" the light and create amazing patterns. They seem very "now" to me this year.
>> Outdoor Lighting Inspiration: Use Lots of Jars
Gleaming, clean glass jars are the easiest, most affordable and highest impact way to light up a table outdoors in the summer. This past weekend we also used a bunch of different shapes, the nicest of which is the small, round bellied Weck jars.
Large glass candy jars like those above from Crate and Barrel are also easy and cheap to buy. Place a pillar candle inside on a bed of sand or attractive rocks and you are golden. Here are my other top picks:
>> Casamidi Lanterns - These are the finest I know of. Designed by a couple of ex-New Yorkers (who fled to the good life), they now come in many sizes and finishes. We particularly like the oversize - 36" - standard Symi lantern (above) as well as the new Punta Maroma Lantern (below).
Here are some new designs for 2010 as well.
>> Santa Rosa Candles are recommended and really nice big guys for outdoors and in.
>> Ikea Rotera lanterns - These are the cheap workhorses that we've used for years. They are great and you will see them used in fancy restaurants, slipping into the decor without notice. We go for the original metal version only.
>> NotNeutral's Pinhole Lanterns - Spotted this at a number of fairs, these are particularly elegant when lit, are inspired by Mexican and Moroccan lanterns, and come in three sizes and three colors.
>> Dietz #90 D-Lite "Bright Tin Plate" Cold Blast Lantern - These can be a little tricky to maintain, but they offer the best all weather lighting in the handsomest vintage design. This is the original pre-1943 version and it will run you only $19.
>> Look!: Two Simple DIY Lighting Ideas - I saw these Dietz lanterns last year in the Grenadines used this way and came up with own design for candles on branches as well.
Great Ideas From The Apartment Therapy Team:
100 DIY Ideas for the 3-Day Weekend
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Flatwa...
Party Recipe: Creamy Crawfish Dip
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
I wish I had outdoor space just so I could have a lot of lanterns.
Does anyone have experience with LED candles? We can't open our apartment windows, but I really like the light that comes from candles inside lanterns. I thought about getting LED candles instead.
We haven't tried LED candles but the battery operated tea lights from Jysk are great! They even flicker like a real candle and last for hours. The batteries could be replaced if you wish to use them longer. We also use LED mini-flashlights from Sylvania called "Dot-it". They are flat on the bottom, quite compact, and have normal type batteries that you can replace. They look like they would work well in lanterns.
This post is magic! Look at all of those outdoor oasis'...... And of all of them, I think the bell jars are my favorite. Makes me want to do a wedding all over again.....
Great post. I love unusual lanterns and ways to light spaces, so this hits the spot.... uh, garden.
Thanks for the post. I"m debating b/w trying some Candela's or Ikeas solar power floor lamp. I have a fairly large patio and need more mood lighting as well as be bright enough to read by....
this post makes me feel like loading up on lanterns and throwing an improptu party..... if only i had a yard.... :)
@Pi I use the little LED 'candles' and love them. They do flicker randomly, like real candles. I like using 2-3 each in a large candle holder. It looks even more realistic and ups the candle power.
Really nice display of lanterns!
http://www.homeinsights.org